Toddler dragged into the water by an alligator at Disney

I think the family would win in a court, but not sure a payout would be 100 million that was mentioned. Also don't think Disney pays 100mil as a settlement.

Payout will be less than 10mil for sure.

 

Do you still think this after prior incidents where parents complained to staff about alligators in the park and the staff did nothing? Disney was aware that alligators were in the water and came out at times in close calls with its visitors, and yet they never decided to tell their guests that their waters have alligators in them.

 

Yeah, can we get it straight about the signs?

Supposedly it said "no swimming". Not "watch out/beware for alligators".

 

Well my parents are the ones that bought it, so I don't know all the details. However, I think there is a down payment, then annual maintenance fees. Ours are $1000/yr, and my siblings and I pay it. You get X amount of points per year depending on the package. You can save the points for two consecutive years. You have a "home property" but you can use them at any properties across the world. I think you can book much further in advance at your home property, but not other properties. The rooms are great too. We have enough points to get like 4-5 rooms that sleep 4-6 each, every other year. We plan to go every 3 years, as my brothers and sisters kids are young. And our rooms have full kitchens so you don't have to eat out every day.

I know that it's a 50 year lease and it can be transferred via will. That's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm going back home this weekend for father's day. I'll see if I can get some more details.

DM/rep me your email address and I'll send you any other details I find out this weekend.

 

It says "no swimming" there are "watch for gator signs" in other areas of the park, but not this area.

 

Yeah but isn't "watch out for alligators" sort of implied any time you are in Florida near a lake or body of fresh water? Isn't that sort of like "watch out for wolves" or "watch out for bears" if you were out camping in the woods of Alaska?

 

Camping in the woods of Alaska vs. staying at the nicest hotel resort in Disney World.

I see some differences there.

 

True, but my point is that there are natural risks in certain parts of the country and I think common sense should dictate that near a body of fresh water in Florida, there is an inherent risk of alligators no matter where you are. Sugar Creek is a residential area of Sugarland and yet out of the "creek" came this 12 foot alligator which was caught in a Home Depot parking lot.



There's just certain natural risks that you ALWAYS have to be aware of.

 

There's also certain risks that you, as a host, have to make your guests aware of. Especially if they are known dangers.

Do you think the first thing on your mind when you see a beautiful man-made lagoon at Disney World is that there's going to be alligators in it?

Especially considering that people from all over the world come to this place.... not just native Floridians.

 

Wait so is this another time share thing? Looks similar with all the points accumulation etc.

Just curious.

 

what the hell do you do in this situation? how fast are they? its dark so I don't know how you would swim after it.

 

11mph for short sprint on land. 20mph in water. If they really want you (fortunately they usually run away), a toddler isn't likely to outrun it.

 

Disney has a serious problem as more information comes out.

Apparently not only have guests complained of alligators in the past numerous times.... but employees have complained to Disney that alligators are a daily occurrence and that some of employees have asked to have the areas around the water fenced off.

One employee said that it is common to see families feeding the alligators, and despite calls to the supervisors to ask the families from feeding the alligators; the same families would from day to day.

So you have bodies of water connected by viaducts......... a well reported history of alligators....... complaints that the alligators were not afraid of people..... them used to being fed on the shore line........ and 9 pm at night which is prime feeding/activity time for alligators.

The pictures shown by Jayz also are damning, showing a sanded area, with chairs feet from the water. I assumed it was a normal dugout lake, and that the family decided to get close to the water..... that isn't the case at all, the actual PLANNING of the area was centered around the lake, and close proximity of the resort.

Also, you should never assume an inland body of water in the Tex/LA/FL/AL/MISS doesn't have predators like alligators; but there are a number of precautions that Disney could have done to limit the possibility of alligators.

Honest compensation should be in the $15,000,000 - $20,000,000 range with a need of substantial changes to the resort. However I am sure that their attorney (getting 1/3) will try to convince the family to let it drag on and aim for $50,000,000 - $100,000,000 ...... which is excessive IMO as an attorney.

 

So for those that blame the parent OR don't think Disney has any liability here or that Disney does not need to change anything - would you let your toddlers play in that beach sand area after the sun has set?

 

That's horrible. The reason why they teach you to never feed alligators is because gators are naturally scare of human. You want them to be that way. Plus, they see you as food.

 

I would realize that in Florida there is always a possibility of alligators and as such I wouldn't be hanging out by the water when it's dark and I couldn't see very well, I certainly wouldn't let my child do so.

If they don't have signs warning people of possible alligators then they should but a bit of common sense should come into play IMO. Just because you are at a resort doesn't mean that you aren't also still in the world, nature is still a thing.

 

Of course I do. But (to me) my point stands, independent of this case. We have confused good statistics with certainty. Period. And it leads to really unhealthy approaches to many tragedies.

Yes, figure out that seat belts are good. Yes, figure out that signage is good. Yes, modify, make safer, rinse, repeat. But (whatever one thinks about this specific case), we still are going to have accidents and it might be that nobody is at fault for them.

My first year physics students always have to work an "amber light" problem, showing that, combining basic neuroscience and physics, there will be cases where a human-driven car cannot possibly stop in time or get through the intersection in time. I'm saying reality will have these impossible cases where no one is at fault. But it seems to me we assume there is always (100% of the time) an absolute fault to find.

Whatever. Carry on. This is more of a debate that I'm fomfotable with in the Hangout. Poor, poor kid, and his poor, poor parents. I do not like reptiles, even turtles.

 

I agree there should been common sense applied here. If you're going to essentially construct a fresh water lagoon to attract alligators in an area that is known to have a lot of them, and then create an inviting shore that attracts people to get close to the water, then you should have some common sense to properly warn people of the potential danger.

 

You're cold-blooded.

 

I see what you did there, but I was baiting (oooo, should have found better word) MadMax.